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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5/6/2025 Item 7b, Tway and Cohen - Staff Agenda Correspondence (2)City of San Luis Obispo, Council Memorandum City of San Luis Obispo Council Agenda Correspondence DATE: May 6, 2025 TO: Mayor and Council FROM: Timmi Tway, Community Development Director Rachel Cohen, Principal Planner VIA: Whitney McDonald, City Manager SUBJECT: ITEM # 7b - INTRODUCE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE AIRPORT AREA SPECIFIC PLAN TO ALLOW MIXED-USE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE SERVICE COMMERCIAL (C-S) AND MANUFACTURING (M) ZONES SUBJECT TO A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WHERE APPROPRIATE AND CONSISTENT WITH THE AIRPORT Staff received comments from the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce regarding the proposed amendments to the Airport Area Specific Plan. Staff’s response to one of the comments is shown in italics below: 1) We would also recommend that the Conditional Use Permit process for the Airport Area Specific Plan follows the citywide threshold of 50 residential units or more. We would recommend that all projects under the 50-unit threshold should be subject to a Director's Approval. A Use Permit is necessary to evaluate a proposed mixed-use project in the Airport Area Specific Plan as discussed in detail in the Council Agenda Report (packet page 288). However, alignment of the level of Use Permit review could be paired consistent with the City’s existing levels of Development Review provided in SLOMC Section 17.106.030. Therefore, instead of requiring a Conditional Use Permit (review required by the Planning Commission) for all mixed-use projects, an ordinance amendment could be made that requires mixed-use projects that contain 49 or fewer residential units and 10,000 square feet or less commercial space be processed through a Minor Use Permit. A Minor Use Permit is reviewed by a Hearing Officer at an Administrative Hearing, and is not required to go before the Planning Commission. This change would reduce the processing time and application cost for the applicant. A Conditional Use Permit would still be required for projects that contain 50 or more residential units and more than 10,000 square feet of commercial consistent with the level of Development Review required for this type of project. ITEM # 7b - INTRODUCE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE AIRPORT AREA SPECIFIC PLAN TO ALLOW MIXED-USE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE SERVICE COMMERCIAL (C-S) AND MANUFACTURING (M) ZONES SUBJECT TO A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WHERE APPROPRIATE AND CONSISTENT WITH THE AIRPORT Page 2 The proposed amendments could look like the following: Land Use Zoning District PF C-S M BP MIXED-USE (also see Footnote 9 & 10) D/PC D/PC Footnote: 9. Per the Zoning Regulations, a Minor (Administrative) Use Permit (noted as D in Table 4-3) shall be applied to projects that qualify as a minor or moderate development review and a Conditional Use Permit (noted as PC in Table 4-3) shall be applied to projects that qualify as a major development review. In order to approve a Minor Use Permit or Conditional Use Permit for a mixed-use development in the C-S and M zones, the Community Development Director or the Planning Commission shall find the project consistent with development standards outlined in San Luis Obispo Municipal Code Section 17.70.130 (Mixed-use development) and make the following findings: 1) There is demonstrable water and sewer capacity to serve the project; 2) Any fiscal impact of the project to the City must be offset to achieve fiscal neutrality; 3) There are no nearby uses that generate sufficient air emissions, noise, odors or vibration to create an incompatibility with proposed mixed-use development; 4) Proposed mixed-use residential development is consistent with land use, safety or noise restrictions set forth in the ALUP and any residential portion of a mixed-use development shall be wholly located within Safety Zone 6; and 5) There is adequate emergency response consistent with the Climate Adaptation and Safety Element (CASE). 10. Avigation easements shall be recorded for each property prior to the issuance of a building permit. All owners, potential purchasers, occupants (whether as owners or renters), and potential occupants (whether as owners or renters) shall receive full and accurate disclosure concerning the noise, safety, or overflight impacts associated with Airport operations prior to entering any contractual obligation to purchase, lease, rent, or otherwise occupy the subject property or properties.